Queen Mary Futures

Queen Mary is the most inclusive university of its kind. The Queen Mary Futures programme is an opportunity for talented students who are under-represented in higher education to broaden their network, knowledge and skills, in preparation for university-level study.

About the programme

Taking place at Queen Mary's Mile End and Whitechapel campuses this Autumn term, the Queen Mary Futures programme will provide students who are under-represented in higher education with a chance to explore their preferred subject at university and prepare for university-level study.

The 4-week programme of activities will allow Year 12 students to gain an insight in to studying a range of programmes at Queen Mary that are broadly in line with their study interests. Students will also benefit from tailored skill development sessions, as well as enhanced information, advice and guidance about the career opportunities that exist with different courses.

Whitechapel campus programme (Medicine and Dentistry)

	Medicine and Dentistry	Session Timings
Week 1	Thursday 7 November	4-6:30pm
Week 2	Thursday 14 November	4:30-6:30pm
Week 3	Thursday 21 November	4:30-6:30pm
Week 4	Thursday 28 November	4:30-6:30pm

Mile End campus programme (all other subjects)

	Science and Engineering subjects	Humanities and Social Sciences subjects	Session Timings
Week 1	Wednesday 6 November	Thursday 7 November	4-6:30pm
Week 2	Wednesday 13 November	Thursday 14 November	4:30-6:30pm
Week 3	Wednesday 20 November	Thursday 21 November	4:30-6:30pm
Week 4	Wednesday 27 November	Thursday 28 November	4:30-6:30pm

Important

Please note that:

For your application to be competitive, you should currently be studying subjects and qualifications that would make you eligible for study of your preferred subject at Queen Mary. A summary of eligibility criteria for each Queen Mary Futures subject strand is below.

QM Futures - Summary of Subject Strand Criteria 24-25 [PDF 88KB]

Certain subject strands may close early where there is particularly high demand, so you are encouraged to apply earlier to avoid disappointment.

Science and Engineering Subject Strands

1. Biological and Behavioural Sciences
2. Engineering and Materials Science
3. Maths, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science
4. Physical and Chemical Sciences

Medicine and Dentistry Subject Strands

1. Medicine and Dentistry

Humanities and Social Sciences Subject Strands

1. Business, Management and Social Sciences
2. Economics and Finance
3. History, Politics and International Relations
4. Law
5. Media, Literatures and Communication

Students will receive:

Expert insight in to several subject areas that align with your preferred Higher Education pathway
Opportunities to develop key skills that are associated with success at university
Enhanced careers information, advice and guidance, including contributions from Queen Mary Alumni
Certification to recognise your successful completion of the Queen Mary Futures programme

For your application to be competitive, you should meet the following academic criteria:

Attend a non-selective state school in the UK
Have achieved at least AAABBB or 777666 from six GCSE subjects, including at least B/6 in English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology (or Human Biology)
If taking 3 A levels, should be studying Chemistry or Biology and one other science subject (including Maths). Please note that some equivalent qualifications are accepted, however BTEC qualifications are not. More details can be found here.
Should not be re-sitting a post-16 study year

In addition to the above, you must meet our widening participation criteria, as outlined below:

Step one:

In order to be eligible to apply, students must meet all of the criteria outlined in step one.

Attend a state-funded school or college.

Are currently studying in Year 12 (or equivalent)

Have achieved at least five A*-B or 5-9 GCSE grades, with at least a 5 in English and Maths.

Be a Home registered student or expect to be by the time they apply for higher education,

Step two:

Students must meet two points from the below widening participation eligibility criteria. Where a programme is oversubscribed, students who meet the highest point score will be offered a place on the programme.

Are currently, or have previously lived in local authority care, or is permanently estranged from both parents	2
Has a disability defined under the ‘Equality Act 2010’. A physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.	2
Be living in an area of high deprivation (IMD Quintile 1 or 2) or be living in an area of socio-economic disadvantage (ACORN group M, N, P, Q, R, S or U).	1
Are a young carer (you look after a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or drug or alcohol problem).	1
Were previously entitled to Free School Meals during Key Stage 4, or are currently in receipt of the 16-19 bursary.	1
Are living in an area of low-participation to higher education (TUNDRA Quintile 1 or 2).	1
Neither parent or carer has attended higher education in the UK or abroad	1
Are a refugee or asylum seeker.	1
Are from Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller background, inclusive of Showmen and Boater communities	1
Attend one of Queen Mary's sponsored academy schools	1
Attend a school whose overall GCSE performance is below the England average	1

*We welcome applications from students in London and Greater London who meet the criteria for care experience, are estranged from parents, or who have a disability defined under the Equality Act 2010.

**If you're unsure of your neighbourhood status (IMD or ACORN), we encourage you to submit an application so that we can check on your behalf.

***Queen Mary's sponsored academy schools are Royal Greenwich Trust School, St Paul's Way Trust School and Drapers' Academy. Please note that places per school may be capped.

****You can check your school's overall GCSE performance here.

If you're unsure of your school's overall GCSE performance, we encourage you to submit an application so that we can check on your behalf.

For your application to be competitive, you must meet the specific eligibility criteria for your chosen subject strand, summarised below.

QM Futures - Summary of Subject Strand Criteria 24-25 [PDF 88KB]

Furthermore, you must meet our widening participation criteria, as outlined below.

Step one:

In order to be eligible to apply, students must meet all of the criteria outlined in step one.

Attend a state-funded school or college.

Are currently studying in Year 12 (or equivalent)

Have achieved at least five A*-B or 5-9 GCSE grades, with at least a 5 in English and Maths.

Be a Home registered student or expect to be by the time they apply for higher education,

Step two:

Are currently, or have previously lived in local authority care, or is permanently estranged from both parents	2
Has a disability defined under the ‘Equality Act 2010’. A physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.	2
Be living in an area of high deprivation (IMD Quintile 1 or 2) or be living in an area of socio-economic disadvantage (ACORN group M, N, P, Q, R, S or U).	1
Are a young carer (you look after a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or drug or alcohol problem).	1
Were previously entitled to Free School Meals during Key Stage 4, or are currently in receipt of the 16-19 bursary.	1
Are living in an area of low-participation to higher education (TUNDRA Quintile 1 or 2).	1
Neither parent or carer has attended higher education in the UK or abroad	1
Are a refugee or asylum seeker.	1
Are from Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller background, inclusive of Showmen and Boater communities	1
Attend one of Queen Mary's sponsored academy schools	1
Attend a school whose overall GCSE performance is below the England average	1

**If you're unsure of your neighbourhood status (IMD or ACORN), we encourage you to submit an application so that we can check on your behalf.

***Queen Mary's sponsored academy schools are Royal Greenwich Trust School, St Paul's Way Trust School and Drapers' Academy. Please note that places per school may be capped.

****You can check your school's overall GCSE performance here.

If you're unsure of your school's overall GCSE performance, we encourage you to submit an application so that we can check on your behalf.

Applications for Queen Mary Futures Autumn 2024/25 are open!

Queen Mary Futures Application Form

The deadline for applications is Sunday 13th October.

Students who participate in the Queen Mary Futures programme are expected to attend for the duration of the 4-week programme in November 2024, and to complete the online careers module.

Attendance at a celebration event in Summer 2025 is strongly encouraged, but optional.

Do Queen Mary Futures sessions take place online or in-person?

Scheduled programme sessions will run in-person at Queen Mary's Mile End and Whitechapel campuses, unless otherwise stated.

If accepted, when will I receive my timetable of activities?

The programme timetable is usually sent to successful applicants the week before the programme is due to start.

Are any Queen Mary Futures sessions recorded for online viewing, and how does this work?

Certain sessions will be video recorded using Queen Mary's in-built classroom recording technology, meaning students can watch certain sessions on-demand and can also watch sessions related to subject strands other than their own.

Recordings typically focus on a presenter at the front of a classroom; however, it is possible that images of students may also be captured from time-to-time. Recordings are only shared with Queen Mary Futures students and relevant members of Queen Mary staff, and will only be shared more widely with the permission of those featured in relevant recordings.

When you submit your application, you will be asked to confirm that you understand and are happy to proceed on the basis of the recording arrangements described above. However, if you would like to discuss this further with a member of the team, please email: outreach-programmes@qmul.ac.uk

Can I claim support with the costs of travelling to and from the Queen Mary Futures programme?

Students who are in receipt of (or entitled to) free school meals, a 16-19 bursary and/or pupil premium funding can claim financial support for the full amount of their costs of travelling to and from the Queen Mary Futures programme.

However, it is important to be aware that:

Any financial support would be provided following the conclusion of the programme as reimbursement, and as such, students seeking this support would be expected to cover their own up-front travelling costs.
Students may only claim reimbursement for standard class travel on public transport (bus, rail, metro, tube), and we are unable to reimburse guest tickets.
Receipts (including screenshots of journeys that are recorded online) must be submitted alongside travel expense claims in order for them to be considered.

More information about how to claim travel expenses will be communicated to eligible programme participants following the conclusion of the Spring programme, in March. However, any questions related to claiming travelling expenses can be emailed to: outreach-programmes@qmul.ac.uk.

Can my parent/carer wait for me on campus until my Queen Mary Futures sessions finish?

Parents/carers are welcome to wait for Queen Mary Futures participants by remaining in outdoor sections of Queen Mary's campuses (some outdoor seating is available), or in any of Queen Mary's retail outlets (e.g. Ground Café at the Mile End campus) if they are open. However, it isn't possible for parents/carers to wait for participants within their scheduled sessions, in any of Queen Mary's buildings that are designated for teaching, or in any other Queen Mary building that is not typically open to the general public.

How can I get in touch with any other questions?

If you would like to discuss anything further with a member of the Queen Mary Futures team, please email: outreach-programmes@qmul.ac.uk